You can take the player out of the game, but you cannot take the concussion out of the player. According to NFL injury data, 244 concussions were reported for the 2016 season. Over the last decade, a so-called \u201cconcussion controversy,\u201d as CNN reports, has prompted worry and a great deal of research.<\/p>\n
Members of the Bisons football team deal with concussions every season. Caitlyn McMinn, recent graduate from Harding\u2019s athletic training program, said that she encountered several concussed players while working with the Bisons.<\/p>\n
\u201cFootball players are hitting their heads all of the time so it\u2019s likely to happen,\u201d McMinn said. \u201cSeverity can range from mild, where the athlete just has a slight headache, to something like them being knocked out. Luckily, our players, have only ever had headaches and sensitivity to light.\u201d<\/p>\n
A medical research study has shown a link between concussions and cognitive impairment. A study by the American Medical Association that began in 2008 concluded that 96 percent of retired NFL players had early-onset Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease associated with repeated head trauma, is also associated with the increased risk of anger control problems, dementia, Alzheimer\u2019s disease and depression.<\/p>\n
In 2013, a five-stage guideline for handling concussions was introduced by the NFL\u2019s Head, Neck and Spine Committee to promote giving better care to potentially concussed players.<\/p>\n
In some cases, there has been speculation that some teams have bypassed concussion protocol, wrongfully keeping a concussed player in the game, according to the NFL\u2019s Head, Neck and Spine Committee.<\/p>\n
In 2017, Vicis Inc. introduced the Zero1, a football helmet designed to decrease the risk of head injury. But in a statement made to CNN, the helmet\u2019s creators expressed that the helmet alone cannot reduce the risk of concussion.<\/p>\n
\u201cPreventive measures are typically just making sure that the right tackling form is used, ensuring that helmets fit properly and being aware earlier of concussion symptoms appear after a hard hit or fall,\u201d senior athletic training major Taylor Adam said.<\/p>\n
In a statement made to CNN, the NFL\u2019s chief health and medical adviser Dr. Betsy Nabel spoke to the player\u2019s role in preventing concussions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what\u2019s critical is knowing how to play the game right\u2014knowing how to play the game safely,\u201d Nabel said. \u201cIf you understand the best way to tackle, if you\u2019ve got good equipment in place, and you know how to recognize injury, then you\u2019re going to play that game as safe as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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